Motion Design Course

Lesson 1 • Core Vocabulary and Terminology

Defines essential terms used across the industry, from keyframes to compositing. Shared vocabulary enables precise communication with directors, developers, and clients.

Lesson 2 • Principles of Visual Design for Motion

Applies static design principles—hierarchy, contrast, balance—to time-based media. Students adapt graphic design fundamentals to serve animated storytelling.

Lesson 3 • Workflow and Project Structure

Establishes professional file organisation, naming conventions, and project pipeline stages. Structured workflows reduce errors and support team collaboration throughout production.

Lesson 4 • The 12 Principles of Animation

Introduces Disney's foundational animation principles and their direct application to motion graphics. These principles govern believability and expressiveness in all animated work.

Lesson 1 • Text Layers and Basic Typography Animation

Covers text layer creation, character and paragraph settings, and simple text animations. Animated typography is one of the most requested deliverables in professional motion work.

Lesson 2 • Working with Layers and the Timeline

Explains layer types, stacking order, and timeline scrubbing for building compositions. Layer management is the structural backbone of every motion design project.

Lesson 3 • Shape Layers and Vector Drawing Tools

Introduces native shape layers, path tools, and parametric shape controls for creating scalable graphics. Vector-based assets ensure quality at any output resolution.

Lesson 4 • Keyframing and Basic Animation

Teaches setting, moving, and deleting keyframes to animate position, scale, rotation, and opacity. These four properties form the foundation of all motion design animation.

Lesson 1 • Anticipation, Overshoot, and Secondary Motion

Applies advanced animation principles to create weight, momentum, and lifelike secondary movement. These techniques elevate motion design from functional to expressive.

Lesson 2 • Easing Techniques and Motion Feel

Applies ease-in, ease-out, and custom easing to create smooth, snappy, or elastic motion. Easing choices define the personality and brand feel of animated content.

Lesson 3 • Staggering and Offset Animation

Introduces stagger timing, offset keyframes, and sequential animation to add rhythm and depth. Staggered motion transforms flat animations into dynamic, layered sequences.

Lesson 4 • Understanding Frame Rate and Time

Explains frame rate standards, time remapping, and how duration affects perceived motion quality. Correct frame rate selection is critical for broadcast, web, and film deliverables.

Lesson 1 • Building Reusable Type Animation Systems

Introduces modular text animation presets and template structures for efficient production. Reusable systems reduce turnaround time on high-volume typographic projects.

Lesson 2 • Kinetic Typography Fundamentals

Covers the relationship between spoken or written language and animated type behaviour. Students learn to synchronise text motion with audio and narrative rhythm.

Lesson 3 • Text Animators and Range Selectors

Teaches advanced text animator properties, range selectors, and wiggly selectors for complex effects. These tools enable character-level control without manual keyframing.

Lesson 4 • Lower Thirds and Title Sequences

Designs animated lower thirds, name cards, and full title sequences for broadcast and digital media. These deliverables are among the most common professional motion design outputs.

Lesson 1 • Compositing Footage with Graphics

Teaches keying, rotoscoping, and blending live footage with animated graphic elements. Seamless compositing is essential for commercial, documentary, and social media content.

Lesson 2 • Effects and Presets Pipeline

Introduces the effects library, effect controls panel, and preset management for non-destructive styling. Efficient effects use accelerates production without sacrificing quality.

Lesson 3 • Masks, Mattes, and Clipping

Teaches mask paths, track mattes, and alpha channels to control layer visibility and reveal effects. Masking is fundamental to compositing and creative transitions.

Lesson 4 • Particle Systems and Simulations

Introduces particle emitters, physics simulations, and procedural effects for dynamic visual elements. Simulations add organic complexity that manual animation cannot replicate efficiently.

Lesson 1 • Sound Design and Music Synchronisation

Integrates sound effects, music, and voiceover with animation to create cohesive audiovisual experiences. Audio synchronisation is a critical differentiator in professional motion work.

Lesson 2 • Explainer Video Production

Guides students through the full production pipeline for an animated explainer video from script to export. Explainer videos are a high-demand deliverable across industries.

Lesson 3 • Visual Metaphor and Symbolism

Teaches the use of visual metaphors, iconography, and symbolic motion to convey abstract ideas. Metaphorical design expands communicative power beyond literal representation.

Lesson 4 • Narrative Arc and Pacing

Applies three-act structure, tension, and resolution to short-form animated content. Pacing decisions directly control audience attention and emotional response.

Lesson 1 • Scripting and Automation

Introduces scripting to batch-process assets, automate repetitive tasks, and extend software functionality. Automation skills significantly increase output capacity on large-scale projects.

Lesson 2 • Data-Driven Motion Graphics

Connects external data sources to animated infographics using expressions and scripting. Data-driven graphics are essential for news, finance, and dashboard visualisation projects.

Lesson 3 • Character and Object Rigging

Teaches puppet pin tools, parenting hierarchies, and inverse kinematics for character animation. Rigged assets enable rapid, consistent character performance across multiple scenes.

Lesson 4 • Advanced Expression Techniques

Covers wiggle, inertia, and value-at-time expressions for organic and reactive motion. Advanced expressions enable procedural animation systems that respond to data or user input.

Lesson 1 • Portfolio Project and Case Study

Guides students through producing a polished portfolio piece and documenting it as a professional case study. A strong portfolio is the primary tool for securing motion design employment.

Lesson 2 • Quality Control and Technical Review

Introduces QC checklists, technical compliance checks, and peer review processes before delivery. Systematic QC reduces errors and builds a reputation for reliable professional output.

Lesson 3 • Multi-Platform Deliverable Management

Teaches adapting a single project for multiple aspect ratios, resolutions, and platform specifications. Efficient adaptation workflows maximise asset reuse and reduce production time.

Lesson 4 • Render Settings and Output Formats

Covers codec selection, render queue configuration, and format requirements for broadcast, web, and social. Correct output settings prevent costly revisions and client rejections.